Banished Half, Raven's Past
by Moga
Summary: My idea of why Raven is seemingly emotionless. Ch. 8: What? Weapon spies on higher authorities and has a run in with Connu.
1. No Matter What

Moga: Whee! My first Teen Titans fic! My opinion of how Raven came to be as she is in the series. Contains a ton of weird stuff in this story, along with a couple fan-characters that are only half mine. Sorta. On with the story! Oh, and please don't flame. Constructive criticism is good! Oh, one last thing, I forgot Raven's dad's name. I think it might be Trigon.  
  
Trigon was on a rampage on Azarath. Raven, his half demon daughter was gone. Just gone. Nothing else was even slightly out of place. He stormed into her room, looking for an answer. His four red eyes fell upon a large black mass. He reached down and grabbed it off the floor. It instantly uncurled, revealing itself. The large panther-like cat stared at Trigon with large, fear-filled blue eyes. Trigon glared at it, his image reflected off the blue diamond-shaped gem embedded in its forehead. "Where is she?" Trigon demanded.  
Pajou (the panther-thing) squeezed his eyes closed. Raven had made him promise not to say anything. He had pledged himself to keep what she had told him a secret, no matter what. This was just a very bad no-matter- what. So, he played ignorant. "Who, 'prej?" trying to look innocent. Trigon didn't even answer him. Pajou laughed nervously, before biting Trigon's hand.  
Pajou hit the ground hard, as Trigon dropped him in surprise. Pajou ran like he didn't even know he could. He was in big trouble if he was ever caught. 'Looks like this isn't home anymore.' he thought as he made it out of the house and kept running.  
Trigon stared at where Pajou had been. He had fled before saying anything useful. It was painful obvious he had been lying, though. He knew something. And Trigon would follow him until Pajou told what he was hiding.  
  
Moga: Sorry for the shortness. That was just kinda like an introduction. The next chapter should be mostly about Raven. Got this idea from a dream. Oh, yeah, Pajou is my character. I didn't base him on any show that I know of. And "'prej'" is another character, Paprejou. I don't know if she's going to be in this story, yet. 


	2. Young Raven

Moga: Second chapter! Yay! Raven's actually IN this chapter! And I do have a good reason why Raven is so out of character. It's 'cause of. stuff. that happens later in the story.  
I apologize for anyone who doesn't like description much. I needed to describe all this for later. I'm also sorry for the short chapters. I'm not very good with writing long chapters. But, I will update as frequently as school allows, darn homework.  
And to my reviewers: Blaze Cat: Thank you! Raven Demon: Glad you like it! And I am updating.  
  
And I decided to put a quote in, maybe for every chapter. I'm trying to get ones related to something in the chapter. At the end of the chapter, I'll say what I'm referring to. Why? I don't know. Ask my Muse.  
  
Quote: The trouble with doing something right the first time is that no one appreciates how difficult it was.  
  
Raven frowned as the smoke and dust cleared. It took a lot of her energy to teleport from planet to planet. She hadn't exactly gotten very far from Azarath. And it looked like she had teleported back to Azarath by accident. Only this place was much greener.  
Raven herself looks a lot different than she will when she is older. Her skin is a pale, blue color. Her eyes are yellow, with a cat-like pupil. When she opens her mouth, sharp fangs can be seen. On her back, are dragon-like wings, folded at the moment. Her feet and hands are both clawed, and she has a tail (like Kurt's from X-men). The only real way to recognize her is by the diamond-shaped red-purple gem embedded in her forehead and her clothing (although there are holes cut for her wings and tail). Towering trees formed canopies several feet above her head, letting only some sunlight filter through to the grass that grew uncut on the ground. Lazy, drooping flowers swayed in a gentle breath that made the grass ripple slightly. Somewhere nearby, water mumbled soothingly as it wound through the earth, creating exposed spans of dirt and pebbles.  
Raven looked around at all the vegetation. This certainly wasn't Azarath. But she knew some of these trees and flowers. Grass, though, was grass, to her anyway. You've seen some grass you've seen it all. It didn't sound like Azarath, either. Or at least it had. Now, she didn't hear anything, except the whispering water. And even that sounded hushed, now murmuring quickly, but in a hushed way.  
Than Raven heard it. The drumming noise of rain, the crashing of thunder. It was surprisingly close. How could she not have heard it? The rain poured down in sheets all around her, the leaves of the trees drooping, unable to support the weight if the water. Thunder crashed all around her, closing following the lightning that lit up the dark gray sky.  
Raven ran through the trees and bushes, getting scratched by sharp branches and tripping over knobbing tree roots the poked out of the earth. She kept running until she reached a clearing. Cutting across the clearing, a creek lazing curved. Rainwater ran down the steep banks into the already swollen river.  
Now drenched and beginning to panic, Raven ran into the first shelter she could find, a giant burrow leading into the ground. Rainwater had seeped down the passage, turning it into an oversized mudslide. Raven slipped down most of the passage, until it began to rise again. Her boots made squelching sounds as their mudding bottoms sank into the soft dirt and were than pulled out.  
After walking for what seemed like an eternity in the dark, the passage opened up into a chamber where a small fire burned in the center if the room. Raven saw a flash of gold in the light as something moved into the shadows.  
Without thinking, Raven ran after it into the shadows. Whatever it was, had fled into a smaller passage. It was still big enough for Raven to get into it, though. She followed the golden gleam through a maze of twisting passages. Finally, the passages stopped at a chamber, dimly lit with a single torch. The chamber was a small one, made simply of dirt with a few small stones sticking out. The floor of the chamber was littered with small boulders, their size hidden with what must have been at least five inches of dried grass that covered every inch of unoccupied floor.  
"Please leave me alone. I's no wish to fight! I's will give you somethin' if you leave." a small voice called out of the shadows. All Raven could see of the creature was the golden gleam she had been following and two small, reflective gray eyes, no more than a foot and a half above the floor.  
  
Moga: Oh. a cliffhanger. Don't you all hate me now? Again, there's a good reason why Raven is so horribly out of character. You'll all get to find out later.  
  
Quote Reference: When Raven thinks she wound up back an Azarath. 


	3. The Key

Moga: Bleah. This chapter got deleted. Kinda. Only the disclaimer. I don't own the Teen Titans, but I DO own this picture of a snail I made in Word! Isn't it cute? Uh. yeah. Ah! Super sorry for the way to long wait on this. I have to not let my other story completely take over my writing agenda. Anyway, thanks, Manny! I didn't notice that. If the problem persists, I'll see what a can do about getting a beta reader. Constructive criticism is good! And everyone should know who Kurt is, 'cuz he's awesome and furry.  
  
Quote: Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.  
  
"I do not wish to hurt you. I'm. lost." Raven said quietly, not wanting to show weakness to a creature she knew nothing of.  
"I's know!" came the indignant reply. "But I's sense dark! Dark is bad!" That confused Raven.  
"But this place IS dark," she said.  
"No it not! This is shy! I's am shy, if you want to know."  
"Your shy? Well you sure seem to be."  
"No! I's AM shy! That is who I be. . Who be you?"  
"Your name is Shy?"  
"No! It. it is not for you to know. I's is no good with this thing. I's was never told how to use it. And you have not told I's who you be."  
"My name's. Raven."  
"Fear Bird?"  
"What?"  
"Ravens are fear birds. They be very feared on same-side other- side."  
"Same what?"  
"Nos! You did not hear that! I's not say that! Here! Take this and go, speak not of me, or just call me. Tadoshu be my name. I's must bid you farewell, I's hope you use this for pro."  
With a flash of gray light, the creature was gone. All that was left was a key, tied onto a string to make a necklace. Carved into the thick handle were the words "Het Aye Eor Lvery Klo". Raven briefly wondered what it meant. There was no time now, the chamber began to shake, dirt crumbling off the ceiling. The tunnel was caving in.  
Raven grabbed hold of the key and fled back up the tunnel. Left, center, left, right. Which passages had she come from again? No, she definitely hadn't come from this way. Behind her, a section of the tunnel collapsed. No going back THAT way. She ran up the tunnel, this one was twisted, but it didn't branch off like the others.  
She ran into a room lit by four torches. At the back of the room, was a large golden rock, scooped out to make a dip in the top like a bowl. The bottom looked carved, with a depression running through the rock, many small objects littering the bottom. Above the depression, but below the bowl, was an engraving in the rock. Some small symbol Raven didn't recognize. The symbol was a circle, with a square in the center. The square had an arch on top of it, and in the center of the square, was a hole. In the hole was. something. Raven, compelled by curiosity, leaned closer. Wait. there was something actually IN the hole. Reaching one hand forward hesitantly, Raven stopped as the device glowed with a black light. It zoomed out of the hole and into her hand, losing its black aurora. She almost dropped it in shock. In fact, she did, as the doorway to the room caved in. She was trapped, with no other passages to go down. 'No! Use the Kehon! The round thing! Put it to the wall and press down on its center, than insert the key! Do it! You can't die yet!' Not knowing, and at the moment not caring, where the voice was coming from, Raven shoved the round device against one dirt wall and pressed down on the center. The center of the device lit up to a brilliant red color before falling off the wall. Raven caught it, staring in shock at what it had done. A small, round hole had been created in the wall. As the ceiling began to crumble, Raven shoved the key into the hole and turned it, in a flash of black and white light, she heard a deafening crash and everything went black.  
  
Moga: And another cliffhanger! Don't you all just hate me now?  
  
Quote Reference: When Raven stays to find out answers (or at least trys to) rather than run from the unknown. 


	4. Alien Caves

Moga: Getting back on track with this. Anyway, I decided to stop the quotes. They were a rather annoying to find, but if you want them back say so, and I'll re-add them. I can't stand the short chapters any more. I'm shooting for longer chapters, so there may be more time in between posting.  
  
Raven's mind swam in a sea of swirling gray, trying to fight off consciousness and continue sleeping. Her mind, however, surfaced, leading to a high-pitched ringing in her ears and a throbbing headache. She cracked her eyes open, but couldn't see. A padding scratching noise was somewhere nearby, followed by a different scratching noise. Somewhere else, the sound of dripping water echoed.  
A moment later, the cavern she was in was lit by the soft glow of the fire. Raven turned her head to see a creature on the other side of the fire. Two deep brown eyes were set into a mass of tangled, matted black fur, topped with two pointed black ears. A pitched black nose sat twitching slightly at the tip of a muzzle. The head hung low, just brushing the thing's body, which was flanked by four legs ending in paws (basically a black dog).  
"I hope you know, this is costing me a lot," the dog said. "Master will not be pleased if he found out I helped you. You owe me your life." It put a good deal of emphasis on the last sentence.  
"I. guess I do. Thank you," Raven said quietly. "What happened, anyway? I don't. quite remember."  
The creature paled slightly (though Raven didn't notice because of its thick fur). "I assure you, it was nothing. It was an old tunnel. But not VERY old!" It added hastily. "By the way, my name's Klex. Nice to meet you, Raven."  
Raven jumped slightly in shock. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "How did you now my name?"  
"I-I-I don't! You just have the dark air of a raven, that is all! Really!" Klex backed up a bit, lowering his tail. Raven frowned slightly. Something wasn't right.  
  
Raven had moved from where she had been laying on the rock. She sat near the fire, bathing in its soft glow. She cast a wary glance in the direction of Klex. There was something very wrong about the whole situation. Raven had tried going over the events of her recent past, starting with when she got to this planet, but hunger destroyed any hope of a good mental analysis. Klex, having heard her stomach voice its hunger, set about making the best meal he could with the food he had in the cave. He put several chunks of pinkish meat on a stick and held it over the fire to cook. The fire's heat began to change the meat to a more peach-like color, indicating it was cooked to a healthy degree. He pulled the meat off the stick and placed it onto a large leaf, the closest available item to a plate that he possessed in the cave. Raven jumped slightly as she felt the hard pads of Klex's foot on her shoulder. He smiled slightly at her reaction, holding up the meat-laden leaf for her to see. "I made something to eat," he stated. Raven stared at his offering of food for a minute, before accepting the food, leaf and all, and setting it down beside herself. She carefully selected a piece, examining it. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Klex had a piece. Deeming the meat safe, or that Klex was just very stupid, she took a small nibble. The meat was like nothing she had ever had before. It was tough, but not chewy or dry. The food filled her surprisingly quickly, silencing her stomachs protests for the time being. Even though she had been sleeping recently, the warmth of the fire and food in her stomach urged her eyelids to feel heavy. Not expecting much in the way of a bed, Raven curled up on her sides, putting her hands under her head as a meager substitute for a pillow.  
  
Klex laughed softly as he watched Raven attempt to sleep. He honestly thought she was a good kid. The only thing he disliked about her so far was her apparent lack of belief in his hospitality. Yes, this was a job for him, but he was trying to make it as nice as possible. After all, why ruin someone when this all could have been a misunderstanding or a mistake or that he really hadn't been told the plan. After all, the plan could be much larger than he was actually told. Smiling slightly, he stood up, stretched, and padded over to where Raven lay. Had she been smaller, he would have carried her, but she was defiantly too big for that. With a nudge of his nose, Raven turned to face him, brow wrinkled in question. He smiled lightly again. "This way to bed," he said, in a joking tone of voice.  
  
Raven looked up at Klex, not sure what he was talking about, but to tired to form the words to say that. He chuckled slightly at her confused expression. "Don't tell me you thought I'd let you sleep on the floor!" Klex laughed. Raven lowered her head a little, feeling rather sheepish. "Come," he said, motioning for her to follow with one paw. Raven followed Klex into the darkness of the cave. While she could see very well at night, the cave was the closest thing she had ever seen, or, in this case, perhaps not seen, to total darkness. The only thing she had to follow was the rhythmic clicking of Klex's nails on the rocky floor. Raven tried to look at the rock formations that were hiding, cloaked in shadows, seemingly just out of sight. Paying more attention to trying to find the elusive rocks, Raven didn't notice when Klex stopped moving. Bumping into his tangled, but soft, fur broke her from her shallow trance.  
  
Klex smiled softly, although he knew the gesture would be lost to Raven. Most likely, she could only see his eyes, being with the lack of natural or other light. "Looking for something?" He questioned. She stared back at him, something sad glinting in her eyes.  
  
Raven was all too aware that something was wrong. This cave was something other than a cave. Perhaps, if she asked, he would let something slip, and she'd know for sure this cave was more than alien. She opened her mouth, finding her lips hard to open from lack of speaking. "Where are the rock formations?" She asked him. He smiled, and she smirked slightly, knowing that her senses were sharper and more honed than he thought. "They were destroyed long ago, and many times recently. When the heavy rains come, they flow down here and rush downwards, into the lower caverns. Before anything to big can form, the rains destroy them. It is unfortunate, for I've been told about the wonders of those rocks." Raven smirk disappeared, replaced with a small frown. There was true sincerity in his voice. But something nagged at the back of her mind. Something about what he had said, something that she couldn't quite place, seemed very wrong somehow.  
  
Klex sighed inwardly. He had to keep moving before she asked something else. Too many questions and he knew he would let something slip. He just hoped he hadn't already.  
  
Moga: Well, that was longer. I think I have a better feel for exactly where I want this to go. Before I only really knew the end and some of the middle. Plus I thought of something very confusing to put in later. Something that will make a lot of sense after it happens. 


	5. In Need Of A Miracle

Moga: Sniff. This is a sad chapter. So sad. I bet none of you say this coming.  
  
The alien caves, Raven, and Klex, shrink and begin to blur, before turning into a monotone gray. The gray becomes black, and than, in an instant, a deep blue, with a black cat-like slit. The eye shrinks rapidly, becoming an enormous blur of black fur, before that to begins to shrink. The hardened orange-brown is cracked, showing signs of there being little rain. Amongst the barren dusty land that can be seen, stands a lone tree, if you could even call it that. The tree is rather tall, but straggly and leafless, lifting only a few, admittedly somewhat menacing, braches up towards the sky. The pitiful tree is blackened, a good portion of its root above the ground, forming a small shelter, while the rest search fruitlessly for water that never seemed to have been there.  
  
Pajou lay on the dusty, rain-deprived ground, panting softly beneath a tree. He had just been in a cave with Raven and something that called itself Klex. And now he was here, but he didn't know where here was. He tried to speak, to yell for help, but no sound passed his dry lips. He had been without water for far too long, he knew that. But there was no water. There wasn't anything. Pajou knew, although he didn't want to admit it, there wasn't even hope. Even if he did survive this nothingness, Trigon would hunt him until he died, or told his and Raven's secrets. No. He didn't care if Trigon killed him. He would never tell any of their secrets, not one.  
  
Tranchia let a few tears drip down her black face, unseen because of the hood of the cloak she always wore. She pitied this poor creature. She could see it in his eyes, feel it in his thoughts and emotions. He was dieing, dwindling away to nothing as he lay there. She knew that without a miracle he would die before nightfall. With a heavy sigh, she closed her disproportionately large, insect-like purple eyes and turned away. She knew she could not interfere with this. Not until he accepted death. Once he accepted his fate, in the last moments of his life, she would go to him, and comfort him with the story of a life far worse than anything he could have lived to see. It was her story, the story of her race.  
Yet, Tranchia knew there was a ray of hope. He would live on, if not physically. She had seen his dream, not even that. It wasn't a dream; it was a vision, of what was happening. She knew that he would live inside of the girl until she too died. And she would live on in the lives she touched, and with her, he would live too. In a way, she knew, everyone lived forever, spiritually.  
Yes. She pitied this creature. He had learned so little in his life. So little about life itself, and so little about himself. Still, she knew a lot more than most people would ever learn in their lives, it was part of who she was. She felt the sharp mental tug of stubborn refusal diminish, flicker into denial, before disappearing into remorseful submission. He had accepted his fate.  
  
Pajou knew he was going to die. His vision was slowly getting darker and blurred. His eyes refused to stay open, but he would not close them. He knew if he did, they would never open again. A few tears worked their way through his dust-ridden coat as he remembered how he would open his eyes to Raven's face, eager eyes gleaming and ready to start the day and find adventure. He knew he would never see her again, and that she would probably never know what happened to him. He didn't care if she never knew how many trials he went through, how much danger he braved, to keep the secrets of friends. No. They were more than friends. They were family. Species aside, Pajou knew he was more of a father to Raven than Trigon ever was. And he was dieing. There would be no one there to comfort Raven when she was scared or lonely. He was leaving her to face the world alone, a little half-breed that every one looked upon with scorn, wanting only to use her a pawn in the game of Life. But she was more than that. She was a person, just like everyone else. And he knew, although he didn't know how, but he knew that she would do great things, but only if Life went the right way. And something told him; life would not go the right way for Raven. No matter how positive he tried to be, he was realistic. And the odds were very much against Raven.  
  
Moga: So, don't you wanna know what happens? Will he die, or will his miracle come? Even I'm not sure! So, send in what you want to happen. 


	6. After You Left

Moga: I love this chapter. A bit short, but I cut it off to let readers do some thinking. Wow, actually, this was never in the plan, but it gives me some good ideas for later.  
  
Payacha smiled, her purple eyes half closed, as she gazed contentedly upon the small bundle of fur by her side. She gave it a small nudge with her nose and a fuzzy black head popped out of the middle of the mass. Two big blue eyes stared back at her, practically radiating happiness. "Your not just going to sleep the day away, are you?" She questioned, jokingly.  
The bundle of fur gave her a shocked and fearful stare. "Of course not, Momma!" it exclaimed, in a voice filled with youth. Payacha closed her eyes and nodded her consent.  
"Than please start by checking up on Brichi, Pajou."  
"Yes, Momma." Pajou stood up and shook himself, succeeding only in messing his fur up even more. He scrambled over several tree roots and left the space under the tree that he and his mother called home. He glanced back once, briefly, to say "Be back soon, Mamma," before disappearing into the tall, untrimmed grass.  
Pajou pushed his way through the grass, intent on completing the task his mother had given him: check up on Brichi, a native wild creature they looked after. He quickly reached the stream that separated where Brichi lived from where Pajou lived. Pajou knew he would be to small to go through the water for quiet some time, so he had to jump across the rocks that spanned the width of the stream. However, his effort proved to be a waste, as Brichi crouched by the water, washing food, and in plain view from the other side of the stream. Pajou scowled slightly, annoyed by this, yet at the same time pleased. It had been his first time crossing the river alone.  
Pajou turned to go back, but stopped for a drink, first. As he drank, a brightly colored insect with wings the color of a rainbow landed momentarily upon his muzzle. Entranced by the colors, Pajou went to follow it away from the stream and into the forest. 'But Momma's waiting.' he thought, sadly. He suddenly perked up, his ears following his mood from their drooped stature. 'But she didn't expect that I'd find Brichi so fast!' With this thought in mind, Pajou bound after the insect.  
  
Payacha struggled as this thing held her up. "What have we got here?" The thing asked. "Female Sacather, purple fur, black gem stone. Should be a kit around here somewhere." The thing, much larger than Payacha, was actually rather short, but round and low built. Its companion was taller and thinner, but still strong.  
"If the kit is not here, than let's take this one and go. I want to go home, I never wanted this job in the first place. It is to hostile out here."  
The round one laughed, "You think this is hostile? You should see this place whenever He goes on a rampage!"  
The tall one rolled her eyes. "Well, yeah, obviously it's way worse here when He goes on a rampage. Ya know, I almost feel bad for the girl. Almost."  
"Eh, don't give her any pity. Stupid half-breed." The taller one chuckled.  
"Indeed."  
"Yes, yes. Now let's find that kit. He wants the kit for something."  
"Hmm. Something? Sounds interesting, wonder what for."  
"None of our business if we enjoy living. Now lets finish with this one and find the kit, before He kills us for taking to long."  
"Fine, fine. You are no fun, ya know that?"  
"I like living, unlike you, apparently."  
"What's living if you can't have a little fun?"  
"Safe, for one."  
"Most fun things in life aren't safe." The short one rolled his eyes.  
"Well maybe He'll give us a break after this job. Let's get done with this one and find the kit, all right?"  
"If it means a break from these stupid jobs, why not?"  
Never knew you could be agreeable," the short one said, patting her shoulder and starting to walk back to where they came from. "Come on, Blackfire."  
  
Moga: Yup. Let's just think about that, shall we? 


	7. Starfire: Surpressed

Moga: Wow. Uh, odd inspiration here. This came from when I found a lost picture I drew.  
  
He laughed as he ran, paws splashing through puddles, weaving in and out of tree, under and over fallen logs, and through bushes and thickets. With an "oomph" Pajou sprang up and brought the insect down, pinning it to the ground with one paw. After he had admired it for a moment, he lifted his paw up, letting the insect go.  
  
The scene is a way too sandy one. The temperature is soaring and the desert sands stretch themselves out, consuming hapless creatures that become lost in the sea of sand. Amongst the dunes, a creature is on the move. Odd, only because it is mid-day, meaning the temperature is at it's highest.  
The creature is quiet small, probably to fit into a burrow home. It's short fur is a tan-ish color, and full of sand. Two large green eyes are home to black pupils. In between its eyes, on its forehead, is a black symbol. Looking similar to an Ace of Spades, only the chunky lower part has three triangular shapes attached, one pointed down, another left, and the last right. It has a large leathery, black nose above its mouth. Two large, protruding teeth form at a point that extends past its chin, similar to a cartoon rabbit. Two shot front arms end in three fingered paws, each paw tipped with claws longer than the actual finger. Each foot is as long as its head, having three toes. Each toe ends in a claw, a bit long than the toe itself.  
  
Spip raced up a sand dune, standing erect for a moment, his small ears perking up monetarily. He sniffed the air, before racing back down the dune. He jumped over a snake-like creature on the way. It flicked its tongue out at him, raising the spines on its back in warning. Spip continued on his way without another thought to the creature. Those snake- things were his major food source, anyway. He stopped on top of another dune, sniffing once more. The smell of a dieing creature was near. The closer Spip got, the more accurately he knew where his next meal was. He didn't recognize the creature, but it didn't matter. If he couldn't eat it, undoubtedly other possible meals would have been drawn to deaths smell.  
He stopped momentarily to get a drink of water. While water was not readily available, small plants absorbed the clear substance, becoming puffy and swelled. To get a drink, one only had to bite into the plant's leaves. Spip continued on his way, intent on eating. However, an odd feeling lurked in the back of his mind.  
  
Starfire fidgeted slightly in her seat. Her sister had left a while ago, and she was getting bored. She never felt lonely anymore. There was hardly anyone around, anymore. She could vaguely remember a time when she was almost never alone. But it was distant and blurry, the faces of two people she couldn't quiet remember. May it had been a dream. She didn't see many people other than her sister. It was how she always remembered it being.  
Starfire looked up at the sound of talking noises outside. She couldn't understand what they were saying. Although she was seven, she had been isolated for as long as she could remember, so she had never learned to say much. She smiled brightly at the sound of her sister's voice. Starfire jumped out the open window of the vehicle she was in to greet her sister. Her greeting was lost as she set eyes on what her sister had. A big fuzzy purple thing! She beamed at her sister. "Cute!" She squealed, hopping up and down. "Mine?" Starfire asked, wanting to know if the thing was for her. As usual, she was ignored. Blackfire brushed past her roughly, flinging the fuzzy thing into a cage with the help of the short, fat other thing. Not understanding that this may be a bad thing, she remembered her greeting. She ran up to Blackfire and hugged what she could reach of her sister.  
  
Blackfire felt something wrap around her waist. Thinking it might be one of the native creatures, she prepared a starbolt as she looked down. Her little sister gazed up at her, her face glowing with the purple light of her starbolt. "Cute." her little sister mumbled, closing her eyes happily. Had Starfire not closed her eyes, she would have seen Blackfire's look of disgust. Starfire's eyes opened and she pointes one sticky, although Blackfire didn't know with what, finger at the starbolt. "Cute," she repeated. Blackfire smirked slightly. She knew that Starfire meant pretty and that she wanted the starbolt. Faking kindness, Blackfire bent down to her sister's height, offering her her hand, which still glowed with the orb-shaped starbolt.  
"For you, sister," Blackfire said to Starfire. Starfire beamed at her, reaching out to take the starbolt.  
  
Payacha trashed in her cage. The red furred kit was going to hurt herself! Couldn't she see that? Payacha closed her eyes, not being able to stand watching, as the red furred kit touched the purple orb.  
  
Starfire screamed as the energy knocked back into a tree. Blackfire smirked before going into the forest. Starfire whimpered in pain, hoping her sister would come back and help her. The hours dwindled by and there was no sign of Blackfire or the other creature. All there was was the caged fuzzy thing. Starfire leaned her head back against the tree and thought. Finally, seen by only the last rays of the sun, Starfire limped over to Payacha's cage. She stared into the creature's eyes, willing what she wanted to know to come. And it did. She was just as good as her sister, and she could do big things to. It wasn't fair, and she would make it fair. Filled with righteous rage, a starbolt formed in her hand.  
  
Moga: Poor Star! What's she gonna do to make things better for herself? 


	8. Weapon's Calling

Moga: Long chapter, lot of new characters. Don't worry, you don't need to know most of them since a lot of them won't be in here the a lot of the story, but they're important for now. .  
So close. The smell of dieing was so close. And no one else was any where near the creature. The snake, who, if he had a name, didn't know it, peered down the sandy slope of the dune. He didn't recognize it, but who cared? It was an easy meal, and easy meals were rare, if even that. He bared his fangs and spread open his hood. No other snake would dare try and take this meal. If they did, they would have to fight for it.  
  
Starbolt in hand, Starfire took aim. Concentrating, and praying that she didn't miss, she shot. With natural aim and talent, the starbolt hit its target, the lock. The lock broke and Starfire pulled the cage door open. She pointed firmly into the wilderness, staring at Payacha as if daring her to ignore what she was saying. "Go. Free now. Happy." She said, stringing together some of the few words she knew. This was her moment of glory, and she was going to make it as good as she could. Unbeknownst to her, she would have many more moments of glory when she grew up. But for now, she would get a small sample.  
  
Starrie smirked. 'Good for you, Star,' she thought. Starrie moved out of her hiding spot to one with a more favorable view. Of course, her hiding place was dark. Starrie knew she would be a lot different soon. Angrier and more prone to attack. It was the curse of her race, to have mental and spiritual connections with mortals, who could easily be swayed or changed. For now, she would savor these last few hours of innocents and sweetness. She knew this was most likely the last time she would look at Starfire this way. To know it mattered that she was not seen, knowing the wonderful things Starfire did and would do. Soon, she knew, she would be bitter and jealousy would overtake her. It was inevitable as soon as Starfire had formed her first Starbolt mere moments ago. Starrie let a tear find its way down her cheek. She could already for the changes starting, first being steeled defiance. This would be the last tear she would ever shed for someone else, and also the first of uncountable tears she would shed for herself.  
  
Diablo smiled a wicked grin. Change was in the air, both good and bad. The bad, a sad, lonely creature was spreading true happiness. The good, an innocent creature was darkening with a darkness she could not help. It had been cursed to her in the birth of another creature what she would become.  
  
Unbeknownst to Diablo, Raven cried silently in her sleep. Her powers developing, she was dreaming the memories of everyone she came near, or had been near, and it scared her.  
  
Diablo sighed happily, giving his love a nudge. She stirred, lifting her great white head. "Hmm? Oh you!" She playfully scolded, seeing what he had done. "Put me back to normal!" He grinned, but complied; releasing the spell he had put on her. She shrank back to normal size, and he let himself shrink with her. Blink gave a small lick to a ball of silvery fur, their first child, a female. The pup stirred, before turning her large blue eyes up into the face of her two loving parents. She squeaked happily, a shimmer of stardust raining down upon the three of them. Laughing, Diablo picked his daughter up, hugging her securely.  
  
Silver wrinkled her nose in her sleep, trying to banish the dream without waking. Failing to succeed, she awoke fully. She peered over at the black mass of fur next to her. She poked Daducha and he stirred slightly. "Wake up, lazy." She joked.  
"Mmph. Wadda ya want Silvi?" He asked her.  
"Just to see you up," she replied, giving him a small lick. "Come on, we can be up before these lazies."  
"Silvi its before Dayin's up. Go back to bed."  
She stuck her tongue out at him. "No."  
"What are you, nocturnal?" He asked with a small moan of annoyance.  
"Yup! I'm a creature of the night. Duschin's up an' so am I. Have fun sleeping the day away!" She called as she trotted out the door.  
"But it's not dawn yet," Daducha weakly replied. He saw a blurred movement out of the corner of his eye. "Wh- OW!!! DAGI!" Dagi grinned at him, green eyes shining with amusement.  
"You need to keep your guard up, Dad. I was up BEFORE you OR mom," he said, practically radiating pride.  
"Great. You'll have worse sleeping habits than your mother, just what I need."  
"Yup! You need someone ta protect you, an' I'm da Guardian for da job!" He announced, jabbing his thumb into his chest. Daducha rolled his eyes. Dagi was probably the youngest Guardian, and he enjoyed showing off. Needless to say, it was a bad combination.  
"Yeah, whatever. Where's your sister, oh-mighty-one?"  
"She left with Mom, cowering all da way out. Wimp." Oh yeah. He was the Guardian of Courage; anything less than brave was close to the worst thing in the world for Dagi.  
"Uh-huh." Daducha let his head hit the pillow. Why not keep sleeping? Dagi would destroy a hapless punching bag, Silver would and monitor planetary peace, and Xue was with her. What was he going to do if he got out of bed? With a happy sigh, believing to have convinced his conscience, he pulled the blankets up over his head.  
Only to hear the sound of a danger alarm blaring. "Oh great." He mumbled, wriggling out of his blanket cocoon. Dagi perked up, eager for 'some action'. He raced out the door to the control room, highly intent on getting his equipment. In his young mind, you could forget organization and planning. Give him weapons and he was ready to go.  
Daducha followed, but didn't run. All the army's warriors were taught never to run out side of battle. It just caused panic. In the so- dubbed 'Problem Room', Silver sat next to her friend Zimerei, nicknamed Rei. The red-eyed 'alien' kept his focus; hands sheathed in silver gloves clasped behind his back, occasionally giving orders to the computer, PRC. Besides him, his robotic companion, WIR (although he liked to be called Weap) stood, lasers drawn. The short silver 'bot glared through narrowed solid red eyes at Thicket, who kept one gloved hand on his shoulder. Like WIR, Thicket would happily battle anyone for almost any reason. However, unlike the small robot, she wasn't arrogant enough to simply charge into battle. She knew an attack plan would be needed. Thus, the purple-eyed girl exercised the small bit of self-control she had.  
"It's Diablo." Zimerei stated softly, confirming everyone's fear. Diablo was the greatest threat any of them had ever met. They were all in for another raging war.  
  
A boy peered at them through a crack in the door. They were fighting again. Once again, he knew, they would leave him out again. He slid down the door until he was sitting on the floor. They would never understand how much he wanted to join them, to experience the thrill of battle. With a low growl, the boy got up and walked away.  
He entered his room but didn't turn the lights on. He hated the lights. Darkness let him see more anyway. "What's up, Weapon?" asked a voice from the shadows of his room. He wasn't startled though. He had seen her eyes shining in the darkness.  
  
Frowning, Connu slid off the desk she'd been sitting on and walked up to Weapon. He looked away, scowling. She smirked slightly. "No mind tricks this time, you've earned my respect." She sighed closing her eyes and turning her head away from him for a moment. It was almost embarrassing to have to give her respect to a four-year-old. But, she knew that Weapon possessed a deep and complete understanding of what he could do. He had drawn on his strength and knew his limitations. He had made a type of Karate-like fighting that let him excel in battle. The use of many seemingly pathetic weapons and gadgets allowed him to give off a fake, weak appearance, luring ego-blinded enemies into his trap. No. It could have been much worse, to have to give her respect to someone else.  
From his long silence she knew he wasn't going to say anything. She sighed, running her claws through the fur on the back of her head. "Look, kid, if you wanna fight go talk to Hack. He must have your stats from Meega."  
  
Weapon actually considered this, but quickly dismissed the idea. He wasn't going to depend on anyone. On the other hand, it may be his only way to get into battle. However, knowing everyone around here, they'd probably just stick him in some big, clumsy robot that could only attack long-range. Robot. . .  
  
Connu blinked as Weapon ran out of the room and down the hall. Whatever. Who knew what went through a kid's head. "Wow. I'm getting old if I can't remember childhood anymore." Connu stated aloud to herself. She walked to the door, reaching instinctively to shut the light. 'Heh,' she thought, remembering that the light had never been on in the first place. 'Getting to that age are we?' questioned a voice in her head. She chose to ignore it.  
  
Moga: I have such fun writing Connu. Uh, don't have much to say here.. 


End file.
